Parika came out of the room after hearing her daughter’s morning chatter, “Wapa……let me go down, I will be late today to reach the office.” It takes about an hour’s drive to reach her office in Jebel Ali. She has three children. However, even her small worries are still a source of sadness for Parika..”Would you like to leave duaghter with uppa ?”But Pareeka did not try to do so.The daughter’s verdict is that her father is too old to drive a car.
Taking the coffee placed on the table, Pareeka slowly moved to the balcony. It was January and it was getting cold. However, there is a silver tower standing proudly opposite Pareekka’s building, the Future Museum, he must see it. There begins a day of Pareekka. It is at this time that all the scattered pieces of memories are connected. The balcony is decorative though.Though figurative, the arm chair placed in the middle of the garden in the balcony is the content creator of Pareeka’s every day. Even at this old age, without five paise, he will travel all over the world in this arm chair. The journey starts from Sheikh Zayed Road, which is wide below the balcony. It then ends in different countries.
His smart phone helps Pareekka in this. The little children joke that Abbas and the smart phone are Pareekka’s cousins. They take advantage of the endless possibilities of Google and YouTube to see and know countries. Although it is a little slow to type, it is solved later.”Uppappa, we don’t have to worry about typing like this. We have Siri, if you ask Siri, she will tell you everything and give you everything.” So he became a disciple of his five-year-old grandson. Pareekka is struggling to keep up with the times. But he kept trying not to stumble. He reached the UAE by sea in the 70s and now this country is like his motherland. That is why he is staying here even in his old age without going back to his own land.
He got up when the calling bell rang twice with Arabic music. Abbas on the other hand is known to be a regular visitor of Pareekka. Pareekka’s relationship with this Palestinian is as old as his youngest son. When his daughter and grandchildren are gone, he spends a small part of his day with Abbas. He comes to do maintenance work on the building.Even though he is retired, his family background forces him to work here.He speaks only when necessary.Abbas has a personality mixed with a lot of experience and a wealth of reading.Pareekka did not feel old age as a shameful period since meeting Abbas. Abbas will be with him like a companion. The mixed stench of sweat and cigarettes was a problem at first, but later it became a habit. Sometimes it seems that Abbas was brought down to this earth by Patachon to impart knowledge. The conversation without boundaries often took Pareekka’s old age to youth. He was pleasant to listen to Yasser Arafat’s historical stories. Abbas returns with a mountain of positive energy in every encounter.He did a lot of great things for his family with joy and satisfaction. Every time Abbas tells these stories, Pareeka is surprised to count the zeros of three thousand dirhams he gets.A green man who forgets the bitterness of toil in fulfilling his duties.
As always Pareeka opened the door to the cold room for Abbas. But today Abbas was very distressed. He became silent like a defeated warrior. Pareeka’s curiosity became unbearable. It was painful to start a conversation. There was silence between them and then Abbas started.”Ahlan Sadiqhi,ana sa arhal min alimarati khilal bida’at ayam” (Hello friend, I am leaving in a few days) “What? Why this sudden decision?” Pareeka asked in the language of Abbas in complete surprise. Abbas continued in an insensitive tone.”It’s not a sudden decision my friend. I decided to go months ago.But I didn’t want to tell you earlier.Now is the time.Having spent three-quarters of my life here, I want to spend the rest of my life with my family.Pareeka was nodding her head with the reply, “Quite reasonable.”Many questions were stirring the mind like a boomerang.Abbas’s vision for every problem that arose in old age was as beautiful and fragrant as jasmine flowers.Each passing moment was longer than hours.Always predictions about life are often not possible. The fact that the meeting between him and Abbas was only today made Pareekka’s mind come alive. Silence fell again.
Pareeka went to the room and hurriedly prepared the gift package for his beloved. Silence quickly fell all over the place. With a heavy heart, Abbas bid farewell with his dear friend’s gift package.
Pareeka again moved to the balcony to catch a glimpse of her dear friend’s car as it passed through the exit gate. He held the balcony grill tight to prevent himself from falling. He struggled to keep his eyes from watering at the thought of losing his two twins in old age. The great man named Abbas and my smart phone, which he had shown the world to, disappeared from his sight. As a beacon of knowledge, they went to another stage.
“Uppappaa……….” the little grand son called from behind. He has come from school. “Uppappa………I have someone to do my homework………come on.” I’ll show you” The five-year-old boy said . Pareekka was brought back to youth by the astounding wonders of ChatGPT by the five year old boy. Yes, age is just a shift between two numbers.
Shaheena Azeez ,Dubai.
Narrative Tapestry 